where the past is always present

Prince Albert II of Monaco: Baby Shots

Albert Alexandre Louis Pierre Grimaldi, born March 14, 1958, at the Prince’s Palace in Monaco, is the second child born to Prince Rainier III and Princess Grace.On April 6, 2005, Prince Rainier III died and Hereditary Prince Albert became Albert II, Sovereign Prince of Monaco.

Princess Grace of Monaco holds 2 of her children in this early 1960 photo: Princess Caroline, 3, and Prince Albert, 22 mos. Caroline and Albert were born 14 months apart.

7 Responses

Outstanding photos of the Grimaldis in the early years! I do dislike the ‘male-preference cognatic primogeniture’ tradition of succession, which is the rule in Monaco, as it is in England. Caroline, having sown her wild oats at a young age, would have made a perfectly sound Princess Regnant, without producing so many unofficial offspring prior to marriage. I suppose one should be consoled, however, that Princess Stephanie never got anywhere near the throne! What an orgiastic circus that would have been, Lisa~ Wouldn’t you agree?

Princess Stephanie practically joined the circus, remember!!! Shirley, you have been away too long. I’ve missed your pithy remarks and keen insight. Caroline would have done a very good job as queen – or would she have stayed a princess as sovereign?

Your query is an excellent one, Lisa. Although I am not an expert on les affairs d’monarchy, I would be inclined to assume she would remain a princess. This is merely a guess, though, based on the semantic distinction Monaco creates in referring to itself as a principality.

I am giddy to have returned from my self-imposed exile, Lisa. To quote a song from a favorite film of mine, I am “Better Than Ever!”